I'm Not Broken - TH

•35•

"Sorry mum, I just don't think it's safe to take her out to the Gala after what happened." I hear Tom say into the phone.
It sucks, I was so excited. But if Tom thinks it's safer to stick around here for a while then I'm going to listen and do what he says. I don't care what I miss out on, I never want something like that to happen to me again.
Tom walks into the room where I sit with my laptop, internet shopping, and he leans down, kissing my my face all over which makes me giggle.
"You bummed out?" He asks.
"A little." I shrug.
"Well.." he trails off, placing one more kiss on my nose. "Get your dress on, and we can drink some shitty wine, dance around the living room  and pretend life is normal."
I smile, and jump up from the bed. I skip over to the dress hanging on the door, and pull it down excitedly.
"Go get your suit on." I say.
"I think I'll stay for the show." He smirks and I roll my eyes at him.
"Get out." I say, and he frowns.
"Fine, I guess I can wait a few hours." He teases, and leaves the room.
I get out of my pajamas that I've been sitting around in all day, and slip on the dress. It looks just as beautiful as it did the first time I tried it on. I love it so much, and honestly I can't even be bothered by the fact that no ones going to see me in it, because the most important person to me will get to see me in it and that's all that matters. I put on the shoes that finish off the outfit, and giggle when I realize I have my hair thrown in a messy bun. It's not exactly tying the look together but who cares.
I walk out of the room, and down towards the living room. My jaw drops when I see that the open area is lit by candles and music is playing in the background. Tom looks great in his suit, his dusty pink tie matching my dress.
This is so much better than a crowded gala.
"I knew you would look good but wow..." he shakes his head, looking at me from head to toe with a smile on his face.
"It would look much better if I had done my hair and makeup." I say.
"You always look beautiful to me." He smiles, and takes my hand in his.
He twirls me around, and I giggle as I come back into his arms. I've never felt this full in my life. Crazy how a guy I've had around for three years can suddenly become everything I've ever needed.
"Cmon you can do better than that." He teases, dipping me dramatically. I practically start to laugh like an idiot as he pulls me back up and he shakes his head at me.
"I want to marry you." He says as he laughs with me.
"What?" My laughing dies down quickly.
"Did he just say what I thought he said?
"I want to marry you." He repeats himself with a genuine look on his face.
"Tom I'm 18, you're 19. We can't get married." I state.
"I don't mean right now silly." He laughs. "I mean I want to marry you. Whenever that happens is fine, but I know for certain that sooner or later, you will be the one walking down the aisle."
My emotions change from anxiety to happiness. The idea of love is so foreign to me, I've never had it. Not until Tom. Now here we are, and he's telling me he wants to marry me one day. I always thought I'd end up alone, turns out I just needed him.
"And you'll be in a puddle of tears." I tease.
"Please, I don't cry at weddings." He says and I scoff.
"You may have a big tough guy attitude here but you will definitely cry on our wedding day. I just know it."
He grins at me, and holds me close to his body, now less dancing and more just being together.
"Well I can say with complete certainty that you will cry too." He states.
"At least I can admit it." I say.
"I will admit to three situations in which I would cry. The first one is if you are crying, the second is if you get hurt and end up in the hospital, and the third is if you leave me or break up with me." He explains.
I find it just a little bit cute that he said he'd cry if I cried. That just shows how much he empathizes with my emotions.
"Alright then let's make a bet." I say. "If you cry at our wedding, I win."
"And what would you win darling?" He asks in amusement.
"If I win, you have to grow your curls out." I say happily. Tom has kept his curls chopped off for a year now. It makes me sad.
"Alright, and if I win I get to shave it all off." He says and my mouth drops.
"No!" I exclaim.
"Yes." He laughs.
"But your hair is so beautiful." I frown.
"Then you better hope I cry." He jokes, and kisses my lips.
Our dancing comes to an end, and we find ourselves doing exactly what he said. Sitting in the love seat with some shitty wine. I didn't even know he had shitty wine, everything is so fancy. I remember how shocked I was when I first came here to see how much money he had. It's funny because now I'm shocked when I see things like cheap wine.
The sun has gone down, and now the only light is the warmth of the fireplace and the candles lit around the room. It makes this oversized house feel so much cozier. Living here truly makes me wonder how Tom turned out as sweet as he did. How did he not become a spoiled brat? He's so selfless, which isn't normally a trait you see in someone coming from a life like this.
"You're a good man, Tom." I say.
He sets down his wine, and shakes his head slightly with a sigh.
"I'm not, Chloe." He says. "And I don't want to taint your judgement. I'm not a good man."
His words make a frown form on my face. How could he say that?
"Yes. You are. I don't care what you say or think, because what I know, is that you are one the the greatest men i have ever met." I state.
"When you first found out, I got so scared I started telling you I'm still a good guy, I shouldn't have. You don't deserve having me corrupt your morals." He mutters.
Where is this coming from? Why is he so down on himself all of the sudden?
"Tom.." I say softly, making him look at me. "My father beat me, and my mother abandoned me. You are the first person to love and protect me. You haven't corrupted my morals. they did. You gave me a chance to see what family, and love really should be."
He runs his fingers through my hair, grabbing the back of my neck to pull me in for a soft and loving kiss. If you would have told me a year ago that Tom and I would be here, in love- I would have said you were crazy.
Now I can't imagine it any other way.